Movie review: Where’s My Roy Cohn?

Where’s My Roy Cohn? — Running Time: 1:37 — Rating: PG-13 Ask young people if they plan to see “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” and you’ll receive silence and a blank stare. Who? The young should see it because of its deep contemporary relevance. If you are over 70, this strong documentary will fill in the gaps of a story you probably knew well years ago. All age groups should be interested in Cohn’s connection with the current occupant of the White House. In the ’50s, Cohn was known as a smart, ruthless young lawyer … (read more)

Joker — Running Time: 2:02 — Rating: R If “Joker” had been made by ordinary people, it would have been dismissed as an overdone dive into violence. Instead, a team headed by actor Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips has created a wicked nightmare o … (read more)

Frankie — Running Time: 1:46 — Rating: PG-13 Please don’t skip “Frankie,” and be sure to go when you feel peaceful enough to see a quiet and lovely movie. If you let it in, it’s likely to stay with you for a long while. Don’t look for a plot that unfolds … (read more)

Judy — Running Time: 1:38 — Rating:  PG-13 “There’s only one of her.”  So says a friend of Judy Garland in the new film “Judy.” That comment summons the complications in the grand new wave of biographical fictions that are flooding our theaters.  Many of … (read more)

Official Secrets — Running Time: 1:42 — Rating: R What is the role of an unimportant person who knows the truth of lies told by important people?  “Official Secrets” is the story of Katharine Gun [Keira Knightley], a young woman who discovers the shameful … (read more)

Brittany Runs a Marathon — Running Time: 1:44 — Rating: R At some moment when you need a touch of cheer, try “Brittany Runs a Marathon.” This comedy is rooted in more than competition. It’s the story of the moment when Brittany begins to recognize that he … (read more)

The Peanut Butter Falcon — Running Time : 1:37 — Rating: PG-13 The Peanut Butter Falcon offers a complex movie experience. Some of you will be thoroughly absorbed while others may well be disappointed. Whichever emotion claims you, just know this movie is … (read more)

Blinded By the Light — Running Time: 1:58 — Rating: PG-13 “Blinded By the Light” opens in the 1980s and introduces us to Jared (Viveik Kalra), a young man who tells us, “I’ve spent 35 years trying to let go of the destructive parts of my character.” Watch … (read more)

After the Wedding — Running Time: 1:50 — Rating: PG-13 “After the Wedding” unfurls gradually as it introduces us to locations and characters. A salute to writer Susan Bier and director Bart Freundlich for letting us get to know the principals before they … (read more)

This year’s Monmouth Film Festival — an international film festival in Red Bank, N.J. — opened with two complex films that kicked off the annual weekend celebration created by founder and president Nick Marchese.  The festival unfurled nearly constant scr … (read more)

“The Farewell” is a grand mixture of cultures, a deeply caring family, and a group of fine actors who are introduced quickly and with clarity. Writer/Director Lulu Wang first sketches the characters who will merge as the family gathers in China for the ap … (read more)

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood — Running Time: 2:41 — Rating: R 1969 was a key year in the slippage of power from old Hollywood to the new. Quentin Tarantino has made “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” as his goodbye wave to the old movie world. While it s … (read more)

Wild Rose — Running Time: 1:41 — Rating: R How can a young woman capture us with an impossible dream? “Wild Rose” does just that by joining the inspired abilities of a singer/actor, a writer, and a director in creating on-screen magic. Actor Jessie Buckle … (read more)

Pavarotti — Running Time: 1:26 — Rating: G A mild warning about the wonderful “Pavarotti.” Those of you who are genuine opera lovers may find it borders on being frenetic. Those who are looking at it as a biography rather than a musical event will see it … (read more)

Yesterday— Running Time: 1:56 — Rating: PG-13 Any summary of “Yesterday” would miss its magic.  Don’t look for the good, the mediocre or the bad in this one. Just try watching and waiting for it to wrap you in its arms. That takes about five minutes. In i … (read more)